EDUCATING GORDON Recollections Accompanying an Exhibition of Professor Gordon Holden’s Student Drawings from 1964 to 1969

Gordon Holden 1967

INTRODUCTION

This document is a brief account of recollections that accompanied an Exhibition launched at Griffith University – Gold Coast on 20 May 2016. The exhibition consisted of original design and technical drawings that I made over the duration of my studies – I re-discovered these documents when moving house in 2015.

In 1964 the Diploma in Architecture program at the Brisbane Central Technical College (later Queensland Institute of Technology [1965] and Queensland University of Technology [1989]) was recognised as satisfying the educational requirements for graduates after practice experience and further examination to become registered architects and members of the Institute of Architects. Predecessor Diploma in Architecture programs at the Central Technical College on the Gardens Point Campus dated from 1918.

The Architecture program was led by prominent architect, Mr Charles Fulton. All subjects were taught by practicing architects, engineers, builders and quantity surveyors, many of whom were distinguished in their respective profession. Classes were held week nights from 6 to 9pm. In 1964 first year classes were accommodated in what is building “U” in the space that is now the QUT’s Vice Chancellor’s offices. In 1967 Architecture moved to a new building designed by Steve Trotter adjacent to older buildings that dated from about 1915, alongside the House of Parliament boundary.

In 1964 entry level education to the Dip Arch was a Senior High School qualification. Subjects required for entry were English, two Mathematics, Physics and Geometrical Drawing and Perspective or Art (plus Chemistry at least at Junior High School level). Enrolment in the Diploma also required concurrent practice experience under the supervision of a registered architect over the 6-years of the program.

1964 - 1st YEAR

I commenced work at Peter Heathwood’s architectural office on the river-front at Hawthorne in late February.

First year of study was structured to provide mainly technical skills in freehand drawing, perspective, geometry and rendering but also provided introductions to basic building construction and architectural history.

A memorable event during the year occurred when Athol Bretnall, the history lecturer was unable to attend one evening. One of the students gave the lecture – apparently he had failed the subject about six times – it was rumoured that his grandfather had left him a handsome sum to support his studies for as long as it took, so the student had no incentive to pass, but he knew his stuff. The lecture was both informative and entertaining as he parodied Mr Bretnall.

For this exhibition unfortunately I could only recover drawings of trees, an assignment for the subject “Architectural Free Drawing” in first year. In the Rendering course we completed large drawing sheets in hand lettering of the alphabet at different sizes as well as constructing large capital letters in Roman style, according to prescribed line width, angles and curves. We also made a water colour rendering complete with graded wash shadows of a Greek Ionic Composition on water-stretched artist paper.

Freehand nature Drawings

1965 - 2nd YEAR

Design studio started in 2nd year, the subject most looked forward to by students. Not much of my design work was found for this exhibition but the six plates for “Architectural Construction 1” completed over the year were all intact. This course was assessed half by the six plates and half by a final examination.

Design had a number of projects of around three to five weeks duration, about six in all over the year, as well as several 3hr sketch designs in the night-time studio. Except for final year, each year the design subject had a one-day design exam in November, on a Saturday. The final year design exam was a three-day event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Most subjects, excluding design, were assessed in a single exam at the end of the year. Students who didn’t pass thereby added another year to their studies. The late September early October blooming of Jacaranda trees in the city gardens adjacent to the campus, signalled the time to seriously study hand notes for all courses. There were very few handouts over the full six years of the program.

A number of students created a sort of ‘club’ that produced a magazine called “Scarab” available through an annual subscription. There was also a scarab beetle pin badge that was available. The scarab was inspired by ancient Egyptian culture that revered its creative symbolism.

The quality of practice experience varied considerably across the student cohort. Some students were lucky to be in offices known for high standard architecture and good mentoring. Others were receiving little mentoring while drafting mediocre work. I was one of the lucky ones in working for Peter Heathwood, a multi award winning architect and a great mentor. Peter gave architecture books for Christmas – but with a catch – he would require me to discuss the books during our Friday afternoon meetings, together with what I had learned at college and in the office that week.

Construction Plates Youth Mountain Hostel 1966 - 3rd YEAR

By third year some students were reaching age 21 – the voting age and the age when they started receiving a reasonable salary. However no one could yet afford a car.

In third year there was a high emphasis on technology, including sun penetration analysis, a project within the design studio. The structures course was taught by John Day, a good teacher and a top Engineer in town. Many students struggled with the calculations and had to repeat.

The night-time three hour design sketch projects were now quite regular. After the project was handed-out, some students went to the Bellevue Hotel for a few drinks, generally to return with less than an hour to go. I recall one 3hr sketch topic was ‘Steptoe’s Living Room’ (Steptoe and Son was a TV program about UK junk dealers). One of the students, I think it was Haig Beck, arrived back with about 15 minutes spare and quickly poured a bottle of Indian ink on the sheet and spread it all over with a paint brush, except for a white bubble shaped patch within which he wrote “turn the lights on Dad”. I think he received top marks.

A design class assignment of significance for me this year was researching and writing on a chosen architectural topic. I selected “The Brisbane House” and thoroughly enjoyed the investigation, writing, photography and drawing challenges.

Together with a fellow student I attend environmental psychology classes at the University of Queensland as I felt that architects should know more about this topic. I received the Clay-Brick Manufacturers annual prize for a design class project for a block of apartments using bricks

Scarab faded away and was replaced by ASM (Architecture Student Magazine) which also only lasted a year or so. My design sensibilities were highly derived from Peter Heathwood’s architecture but also influenced by work of other top local practitioners including John Dalton, Robin Gibson, Graham Bligh, Neville Lund and Maurice Hurst. The works of these and others were closely studied especially for rational planning and structural expression clues.

Sun Shade Study Kindergarten Animal Park Entrance (3hr Sketch)

1967 - 4th YEAR

In 4th year, the second-level structures subject loomed large again, with this being the major stumbling block for many student. Of great interest for me was the Town Planning subject. It opened wider my developing interests beyond the single building, sparked by reading Gordon Cullen’s “Townscape” book during the year. Following on from the previous year, another research-based project was set within the design studio. This time I undertook an annotated ‘serial-vision’ photographic study journey through parts of Brisbane. I still have the original material and plan to repeat the study, to reveal 50 years of change. As in previous years, I regularly walked older suburbs at weekends, camera in hand looking for interesting buildings.

My design work and its presentation now exhibit signs of controlled restraint within the modernist tradition. This is expressed in rational space planning, simple forms, revealed structure, use of a limited materials palate and the selective use of mainly primary colours. My search was beyond local and national contemporary examples to Europe and the USA. Influences included Mies Van Der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius from Europe and Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra from the USA.

The National Architecture Student Conference is held in Brisbane this year over several days and is a significant event for me, being my first architectural ‘love-in’. Geo Ponti and Harry Seidler were impressive, local architects including John Dalton were memorable while Tony Gwilliam from the UK was a stand-out – perhaps because he thought outside of the box, communicated animatedly, was closer to us in age, taught at the AA and represented the ‘rebellious spirit of the age’.

Together with a couple of other students I go to art history classes by Gertrude Langer to fill another perceived gap in my education. My library now stands at about 40 books, acquired at the rate of about one each month. Topics expand to encompass Australian architectural history, contemporary Japanese architecture and urban design, none of which were taught in the program. I win a design award for a sculpture garden designed in studio this year.

Monastery on a Forested Hill Top

1968 - 5th YEAR

Other than design and interior decoration, the other subjects this year focused on aspects of architectural practice including specifying, estimating and running projects. I found these somewhat dry topics quite engaging, probably because I like most students, was now in more responsible positions in offices and were actually undertaking some of the work of a practicing architect – so what was being taught had immediate relevance. Penetrating questions and deep discussions with our lecturer in Professional Practice, Tom Cross, ran on after class.

The design studio was busier with projects this year than previously. I considered that now being equipped with analytical, technological and investigative skills as well as a clear (at least to me) design approach informed by the contemporary world, and what I thought was a ‘refined’ presentation technique, I could confidently take on just about any design project. My library expands to include philosophical and theoretical matters.

I left Peter Heathwood’s office late in the year to join Ron Burling, upstairs in Lido Arcade at Surfers Paradise. There were only three of us with Ron - Dan Callaghan, Neville Tait and me. We were all going into final year and were sufficiently competent to run many aspects of projects, from conception to completion, under Ron’s watchful eye. Ron came to me one day with a French period style interiors book and asked me to prepare designs from the book for interior furniture and cupboards for an up-market house. I said “sorry Ron, I don’t do period design – I do modern design”. After a bit of arm wrestling Ron eventually capitulated and said “ok I’ll get one of the other blokes to do it”.

Over that summer numerous people off the street, mostly from interstate, would knock on Burling’s office door and ask if we would do a sketch design for a block of land they were looking at. Ron had a firm way with them “yes sure put down a thousand dollars and we will give you a thousand dollars’ worth of ideas”. They all went away.

I win the premier architectural design competition of the year, conducted by the Institute of Architects together with the Telegraph Newspaper. An equal winner in the small home section is Eddie Codd. Campbell Scott’s design (of Hayes and Scott) comes second to mine and the ‘ruffled feathers’ surface next year with Cam running my 6th year studio.

Science and Craft Centre Playhouse Theatre Exhibition Centre

1969 - 6th YEAR

I am in the home straight now but by Easter I am jaded, mainly due to driving from the Gold Coast to Brisbane and back for night classes. A fellow student, who worked at Lund Hutton Newell Paulsen office in Toowong, mentioned to them that I was looking to move and I received a phone invitation from Neville Lund to join the firm after Easter.

With about 25 staff, LHNP was the biggest office that I had experienced to date and the work-practice there was much more structured than I had previously encountered. One aspect that impressed me was that they had a builder (Mr Tilley, I think) come to the office each Friday to review most everybody’s drawings and make suggestions. What a simple yet practical approach to ensure that the documentation made sense to builders.

After mid-year I leave LHNP and join Goodsir Baker Wilde in St Lucia, an office of about 10 staff. I worked mainly with Dudley Wilde on projects in Bundaberg and Mackay. About a year later I returned to LHNP, who had been appointed architects for the new Lennons Hotel. I became the assistant ‘Job Captain’ in support of John Davis and Bruce Paulsen.

The major design project in the second half of final year was for a new Queensland Art Gallery. Both the University of Queensland and QIT final year and fifth year architecture students had the same brief. The top three student designs from each institution were exhibited at public forums (more than once) to help generate interest in initiating a design competition for the project. My exhibited design was inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture.

Over the duration of my studies I received very little education regarding design investigation, analysis and process of development, mostly we were given design projects one evening and were expected to bring ideas along the following few weeks for informal comment by the lecturers – then we presented final designs for critical review. What we learned through this could be transferred to the next project. This exhibition shows some of my final designs over the years of the program.

I graduate as one of seven from seventy starters who complete in the six-years. I believe that I received a sound education for architectural practice but not much in the discipline of architecture. I filled gaps myself through my library and extra study.

COMPETITION ENTRY 1968

Royal Australian Institute of Architects / Telegraph Newspaper House Design Competition

House at Beechmont FIRST PRIZE

QIT Diploma in Architecture STAFF MEMBERS 1964-1969

FIRST YEAR Athol Bretnall - Jim Birrell - Colin Tesch - Colin Jessup - Frank Costello

SECOND YEAR Charles Fulton - Ian Charlton - Fred Scorer - Aubrey Job

THIRD YEAR Jack Gilmore - Bill Greig - Graham Boys - John Day

FOURTH YEAR Steven Trotter - Neville Lund - Maurice Hurst

FIFTH YEAR Gabrial Poole - Peter Prystupa - Graham Bligh - Don Winsen - David Mercer - Wilf Dewes - Jack Hutchinson

SIXTH YEAR Campbell Scott - Colin Denham - Tom Cross

COURSES All courses were year-long

FIRST YEAR Architectural Construction 1 Architectural Free Drawing Architectural Perspective Architectural Rendering Descriptive Geometry History of Architecture 1

SECOND YEAR Architectural Construction 2 Architectural Design 1 History of Architecture 2 (Gothic) History of Architecture 2 (Renaissance)

THIRD YEAR Architectural Construction 3 (Structures) Architectural Design 2 Architectural Building Materials Architectural Hygiene

FOURTH YEAR Architectural Construction 4 (Structures) Architectural Design 3 Equipment of Buildings and Acoustics Town Planning

FIFTH YEAR Architectural Design 4 Interior Decoration Specifications Estimating Professional Practice 1

SIXTH YEAR Architectural Design 5 Professional Practice 2